"Jill Whitfield, who graduated from West Texas A&M University in 2009, is returning to her alma mater as the keynote speaker for the Department of Communication’s 2018 Communication Week at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20 in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center, Legacy Hall. Whitfield’s presentation, “Recruiter REEL Talk: Red Carpet Realities and Breaking into the Entertainment Business,” will share her experiences in the entertainment industry. Sponsored by the WTAMU Distinguished Lecture Series, the event will be free and open to the public.
After earning her bachelor’s degree in corporate communication and a minor in mass communication, Whitfield chose to further her education at Colorado State University, where she earned a master’s degree in public communication and technology with an emphasis in public relations. Her diverse passions include live events, theatre, film, television, recruiting and education, as well as personal and professional development.
Before moving into her current position as a career consultant for the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University (TCU), Whitfield lived in Los Angeles and worked as a Campus 2 Career recruiter for NBCUniversal, a venue support manager for Goldstar Events and worked for various production companies escorting and supervising talent for awards programs such as The Emmy Awards and The American Music Awards. She served as a digital marketing strategist for Bravo reality talent, managed celebrity digital marketing at Digital Media Management and interned in publicity/public affairs for Lifetime Television. Whitfield also worked in the Walt Disney World College Program in marketing and recruiting. Although she now works at TCU, she continues to work select award show events and recently assisted Kelly Clarkson at The Grammy Awards. In addition to her work in production, Whitfield also had the chance to be on screen for TV shows including Glee, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Middle."
-West Texas A&M University
Photo by West Texas A&M University